New ZEALAND EPIDEMIOLOGY: A new approach to epidemiology

Running head: NEW ZEALAND EPIDEMIOLOGY
NEW ZEALAND EPIDEMIOLOGY
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NEW ZEALAND EPIDEMIOLOGYIntroduction:
According to the definition provided by the World Health Organization, epidemiology
can be defined as the study of the distribution as well as the determinants of health related states
and events which may include diseases also. Application of this study helps to control diseases
and other health problems. Descriptive studies and surveillance are often used to carry
epidemiological investigations. They help to study distribution and analytical studies to
determine determinants. With the advancement of the medical science in the present generation,
the life expectancy of the people has increased. Therefore a larger population of old aged people
is living happily with their families. The rate of mortality has decreased as more people are being
benefitted by the modern medical amenities and services in the nation. However, the rate of
morbidity is seen to been increasing. A large number of people are living in poorer health. This
is because although the system has been successful in preventing early death but has not been
capable of providing quality life to people living in co morbid conditions. Huge amount of
researches and initiatives have been taken to develop the morbidity statistics of the nation and to
give better lives. Out of these situations, the most vulnerable groups who suffer the most are the
Maoris in comparison to the non-Maoris. Since many decades, a strong difference in health
status has been noted between the Maoris and non Maoris where the rate of each kind of disorder
is higher in Maoris and non Maoris (Mitrou et al., 2014). Therefore this report will mainly shed
life how different diseases have various affecting rates between Maoris and non Maoris. The
main factors for this difference will also be discussed. Following this, the different initiatives
taken over the years and the initiatives which are still need to be taken will be discussed.

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NEW ZEALAND EPIDEMIOLOGYMorbidity and mortality:
Mortality means death especially on a large scale. Morbidity means suffering of huge number of
individuals due to diseases, disorders, ill health and others. Among Maoris, the main causes of
mortality and morbidity are ischemic heart disease, Diabetes, Lung cancer, Motor vehicle
accidents, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cerebro-vascular disease (stroke) and suicide.
Similar causes are also present among non Maoris but the rate of mortality and morbidity is
much lower than the Maoris.
Cardiovascular disease:
Cardiovascular disease is one of the major rates of death and suffering among large
number of populations of New Zealand. In case of the Maori, total cardiovascular disease
mortality per 10000 ranges for about 346.9 in males and 232.3 in females. The similar in the
non-Maori citizens per 100000 in the year 2014 is 168.2 in males and 99.2 in females. This gives
a clear indication of how disparities exist between both Maoris and non Maoris. Researchers are
of the opinion that poor health literacy and maintenance of low quality lifestyles have exposed
the Maoris to a greater danger. Even if the hospitalization rate if noticed, it will show that the
hospitalization rate due to cardiovascular disorder per 100000 is 3725.6 in males and 2710.2 in
females among to Maoris ("Cardiovascular disease", 2017). The same is 2537.2 in males and
1376.0 in females among the non Maoris. Thereby it can be seen that Maoris are subjected to
more hospitalization resulting in higher flow of their resources than non Maoris. Besides, heart
mortality rate among the Maoris are also found to be twice than the rate of the non Maori.
Moreover statistics also stated that Maoris were likely to be 4 times more prone to
hospitalization due to heart failure than the non Maoris. Ischemic heart diseases account for

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NEW ZEALAND EPIDEMIOLOGYabout half of the cardiovascular diseases mortalities. This disease reacted mortality accounts for
about 205.5 in males to that of 109.5 in females in per 100000 Maoris whereas the same for the
non Maori population was found to be much lesser like 103.3 in males and 44.0 in females per
100000 of the non Maoris ("Cardiovascular disease" Ministry of Health New Zealand, 2017). A
similar high rate of hospitalization due to these diseases is found to be higher in the Maoris than
the non Maori which signifies the presence of disparities in the number of Maori and non Maori
population getting affected and hence the factors present at the base of the disparity needs to be
discussed.
Diabetes:
Diabetes is yet another concern among the populations of New Zealand. It has been
found form the data collected in 2014 that diagnosed diabetes prevalence among the Maori males
is 6.0 and Maori females is 5.3 in 100 people. The same is quite low in case of the non Maori
people as in 100 non Maoris, the rate is found to be 5.2 in males and 4.3 in females. It has been
seen that the Maori adults were about 1.5 times more likely than the non Maori adults to have
been diagnosed with diabetes after 25 years of age in the year 2013 to 2014 ("Diabetes" Ministry
of Health New Zealand, 2017). Self reported cases of diabetes were also found to be 50% higher
than that of the non Maoris. Two important complications which are associated with diabetes is
renal failure and lower limb amputation. Renal failure above the age of 15 due to diabetes is
found to be 5 times higher in Maori than the non Maoris where lower limb amputation is 3 times
higher in the Maoris.
Suicide and self harm: